Grey Skies
by kitty-flower
Summary: Grey is next-in-line to become leader of the Syndicate, a mafia-like organization ruling the twolegplace. As her hunt for a traitor leads her into the forest, she is forced to question her true identity. T for violence.
1. Chapter 1

**Grey Skies**

~~~ Evening, Alleyway

The twolegplace. Those who live here tell tales of the wildness and savageness of the forest cats, spinning horrible stories of bloodshed and death, but no stories need to be spun to describe the wilder, more savage lives led in the twolegplace. At least in the forest cats live by code, but here, no code can reign in the vicious, warring world of cats. Yet somehow, there is law in the chaos, hidden unseen in the shadows but felt everywhere across the twolegplace.

"Who's there?" The dark grey tomcat called out into the murky darkness of the alleyway. Surrounding him were trashcans, boxes and strange twoleg contraptions that meant nothing to him. He stood at the end of the alleyway, and had just finished his meal, a long dead piece of crowfood. It was the best he could get.

At first, silence was the only reply he received, but he knew there was someone there, watching him. He looked behind him; the wall blocked his escape. He looked around him; they were there too.

But who were they?

They were called the Syndicate. They came after the ruthless, bloody reign of Bloodclan, but in truth, weren't much better in terms of moral, and ruled in a different way. Sometimes, power is best played out in the shadows, imposing fear not of them, but of everyone. The Syndicate never wore flashy collars to display their allegiance; no one knew who they were, but everyone knew they were there, watching. They were a rather large group, but their exact size was never confirmed. Sometimes, someone forgot their omnipresence, and they paid for it—with their life.

A grey she-cat stepped into view, eyes a piercing blue. Shadows stirred around the tomcat as she flicked her tail, revealing two other snickering cats, eyes glowing in the dark.

"Greetings, my name is Grey. You're Steel, yes?" The she-cat asked, "Former clan cat and brother of Oakleaf?"

Steel widened his eyes, "How did you know that? I tell no one of my past."

"Let's just say we have connections," she grinned, revealing sharp teeth, "And our connections say that you haven't paid your rent for two moons."

"I… I don't have the prey to pay you."

"We already let you off for a moon, to see if you can redeem yourself," she sighed dramatically, "but it seems like you've wasted the chance we so generously gave you."

"No—please! It's hard enough to feed myself, how am I supposed to pay such high fees?" Steel backed up towards the wall as the mass of cats neared him.

"That's your problem," Grey sneered, "We are already so kindly protecting you for such a low price, but if you can't even afford that, well, you can't afford to be here."

Suddenly, the cats around Steel dashed at him, fangs bared and claws flashing, causing him to cry out in terror. He attempted to flee, but there was nowhere to run. His shrieks of pain were drowned out by the shrieks of bloodlust of his attackers. Blood spilled onto the ground. Disinterested now that her speech was finished, she turned away from the cats writhing in futile battle on the ground.

"Grey?" A small tabby scurried up behind the grey she-cat, white paws drumming the ground. She glanced at the bloodshed behind Grey and turned back towards her, apparently used to such scenes. She had to be used to it by now; she was one of the few messengers for the Syndicate, chosen for their knowledge of the twolegplace and sharp nose to sniff out any cat.

Grey glanced at the tabby and meowed pleasantly, "Bells, what message do you bring from Father?"

"Ah!" Bells exclaimed quietly, "Father asked me to tell you that the inspection of the West Territory is due soon. He's slightly suspicious of the behavior occurring there because of the lack of production."

"Hn," Grey muttered, thinking, "I'll look into it."

Bells nodded and scurried away just as quickly as she had appeared. Just then, the cats behind her finished their battle, dragging unconscious Steel and dumping him at her feet. She looked at the unmoving lump of fur and meowed, "Good job, now after reporting to Father, bring him back to the prison and let him rot there."

They grunted and disappeared, leaving a bright splash of blood on the sidewalk as a warning to any other cat who might even think about challenging the Syndicate.

~~~ Evening, West Headquarters

The twolegplace was a rather large, city-like area, and there was no way Father could control it all at once. So, he split it into two sections, a West Territory and East Territory. The West Territory is the side that borders the forest, and the East Territory, noticeably larger than the west, covers the rest of the twolegplace and is cut off at the highway, where no cats dare wander across.

The East Territory is controlled by Tibio, a rather queer cat with strange tastes and strange ways. Many wonder why Father chose him to lead such a large area, but never question his choice. Tibio is a sturdy, black tom, with a bone-white hind leg. He claims he named himself because a cat told him his white leg was his "tibia" and he changed it to make it sound more masculine. He insists that everyone call him Tibbs.

The West Territory is run by an angular, dark ginger tom, whose face resembles a fox, with his slanted amber eyes and pointed face. His name is Hunter; he prides himself on being able to hunt down every single one of his enemies. Usually, the West Territory has an even ratio of captives to prey brought in, however, lately numbers have been fluctuating slightly.

Grey padded towards the West Headquarters, located near a small, narrow alley, where it was dark no matter the time of day. Twoleg junk was piled at the opening, and any wandering eyes would see no more than trash in the darkness. However, the alley is longer than it seems, and if you walk in to a certain extent, you'll find a dead end, once more piled with miscellaneous items. Most cats would turn around after sniffing about, but only those who know how to get in will find the small hole behind a trashcan that is the door to the West Headquarters. Guards were posted in strategic positions all around the alleyway, making sure no curious souls get out alive.

The moment Grey leapt into the alleyway, she was greeted with a thunder of snarls, and guards glared at her from all around. She stood her ground as the snarls rolled off of her and gradually quieted.

Suddenly, a familiar tom slunk out from the shadows. His dark ginger pelt and dusky amber eyes were unmistakable; Grey was in the presence of Hunter, lord of the West.

"Ah, what a coincidence!" Hunter purred, voice smooth and rich as honey, "What brings Grey, the daughter of Father and next leader of the Syndicate here to my humble home?"

"Stop talking like that!" Grey snapped, annoyed when she heard the first syllable of his voice, "I've come for an inspection."

Immediately, Hunter's eyes narrowed and became guarded, and his voice sank into a growl, "Why would we need an inspection?"

"Ask Father that," Grey retorted, not revealing her knowledge.

Hunter murmured, "Ah, well, I can't deny Father, can I…?"

Grey snarled in impatience and stalked up towards him, "I'll be staying for the next week to inspect your performance levels and behavior of your hunters, as per procedure. Now, show me to your headquarters. Refusal to cooperate will result in consequences."

The tom grinned widely and hissed, "What consequences can _you _impose on _me_?"

The guard cats around him closed in behind Grey, snarls once more rumbling in their chests. Grey held the other cat's amber gaze without a quiver, her claws sliding out to match his.

Hunter broke the moment when he threw his head back and laughed, "Ha! I would never do that to you, dear Grey. I was merely joking. You didn't really think I would do anything to you, did you?"

Grey kept her position, glaring at Hunter, "Well, it can't hurt to be prepared, right?"

Still chortling, Hunter turned and started walking towards the entrance, beckoning to Grey with his tail, "Come along, then. I'll show you to your new home for the next week."

Grey followed him, forcing herself not to turn around and face the guards still watching her suspiciously behind her. Didn't they understand who she was? And that their loyalty was not to Hunter, but to Father?

The headquarters was underground, but was rather spacious and involved a network of tunnels and caverns scratched out years ago. Hunter trotted down the tunnels confidently, and finally stopped in front of a dent in the earth, already lined with feathers and fur of other cats. It was new and had not been slept on, as if it was prepared especially for her.

"You've been expecting me?" Grey inquired, eyes narrowing.

Hunter grinned, "Not at all."

He turned and left, tail swishing and Grey's ear twitching in endless annoyance.

**A/N: **Those who know me might see the resemblance between The Alliance and the Syndicate, but I just have a thing for organized crime. :)****

**Thanks for reading my new story~ Review are very much appreciated!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors.**


	2. Chapter 2

~~~Late Morning, West Headquarters

Grey did not sleep well that night. Was it because of the blood still stained on her bedding of cat fur? Or perhaps it was because of the incessant whispering in her ears?

"Leave her. Leave her here." A white stripe running through black fur. Glowing blue eyes.

"No, not my kit…" Silver fur, lightly dappled. Sorrow in deep green eyes.

"Leave her…"

She awoke with a start, her heart pounding and ears still echoing with the strange whispers of cats she did not remember. The cavern around her was still dark and ominous, and she heard cats padding back and forth around her and speaking in hushed whispers that reminded her of her nightmare.

Standing up, she yawned and stretched, making sure to get all the cricks out of her spine before starting a new day of inspection. She had done this a few times before, since she usually did not care for the annually boring and monotonous process that included observing nervous hunters going about their business. However, this time it was not scheduled as usual and rather out of the blue, which arose suspicions in both her and Hunter.

Grey started to pad out of her nest and down the tunnels. Hunter was not aware of this, but she knew the tunnels just as well as he did; however, there were new tunnels that were created that she did not know of. As she stared down the newly created passages, she thought she could hear the echoes of her dreams in the murky darkness. Flicking her ears in irritation at her lack of knowledge, she continued, not wanting to be late and miss anything.

When she stepped out of the underground tunnel, she caught Hunter's scent. He had already been there and was gone. She felt more frustration at waking up so late. Some guards stared at her from around her and she glared back at them without any fear. They turned around and disappeared, as if they were never there at all.

Grey stopped to sniff around some more, trying to distinguish the different scents mixed together in an amalgam of confusion and miscellaneous smells, most of it mixed with blood and fear of prisoners brought in. As she breathed in, she noticed another scent she had not smelled in a while—Hail.

She felt her hair stand up at the scent of her brother. Of course, he was not related to her by blood; nobody was in the Syndicate, but was considered family anyways. Concentrating even more, she identified Hail and Hunter's scents to be both fresh; they must have met each other and left at the same time. But what could Hail want with Hunter…?

Hail was a few moons older than Grey, and much more experienced in the ways of the Syndicate, but Father had chosen her to be heir, for reasons still unknown to all but the chooser. It was an arbitrary decision, and neither of the siblings could refute it. The murderous glare she had received from Hail was still ingrained like a dagger in her memory, and they had not talked much after it; they had not been very good friends since they had met in the first place. Both had demanding and ambitious personalities, and there was no way they could speak without jumping at each other's eyes.

All thoughts for inspection aside, she followed the twisting scent trail out of the alleyway. When she turned the corner, she saw two cats, huddled together behind a trashcan, whispering. She quickly ducked back as one of the figures turned around to check for listeners.

The larger figure was a large, light grey tom with rough patches of darker grey. It was Hail. Beside him, who looked much smaller in comparison, but still just as intimidating, was Hunter. She was too far away to hear what they were saying, but she could just make out Hunter's annoyed hisses.

Finally, Hunter whipped around and started stalking back towards the alleyway where Grey was. Grey quickly leapt back just as Hunter turned the corner to see her.

"Grey? What are you doing up?" he asked, voice as smooth as ever, very different to his annoyed hiss just a few moments before, but the surprise and tenseness was still present in his voice.

"That's what I should be asking you," she retorted, once more irritated at his voice. She thought, _I swear your presence is enough to annoy me to no end._

"I was just taking a _solitary_ walk," Hunter smiled and tilted his head in an innocent amusement, but his eyes did not leave Grey's as he stared her down.

Grey said nothing to contradict his lie and hissed, "Well, I was waiting for you so I can start my inspection."

Hunter visibly relaxed as he thought Grey did not suspect anything. Wrong. She knew how to lie just as he did. She smirked inwardly at fooling Hunter this one time.

"Why, you don't need to wait for me to do anything," Hunter purred. "Please, take your time to investigate every bit of our performance, but I promise you won't find anything."

_I promise you I will,_ Grey thought.

~~~ Noon, Edge of West Territory

The forest.

A looming mass of trees, more in one place than Grey had ever seen. Shadows made the distance disappear into the undergrowth, and the branches seemed to close in on each other as a wall to stop her from venturing in. But Hail's scent led into the forest, so into the forest she would follow.

Her paws itched on the soft dirt and grass, so used to the hard cement of the twolegplace. She didn't know how far into the forest she had gone, or how far the forest will go, but the scent started becoming fresher, wreathing in front of her in the leaves and branches. She was close.

"Do you understand?" A low growl, threatening and hushed, that could only belong to one cat.

Grey found herself sliding quietly up a tree, and once safely inside the nest of leaves and branches, she peered through the foliage and observed the action below her. There were two cats, one being Hail and the other a dark brown tabby with a scarred ear. He was lean and gangly, and was crouched down as Hail, the larger of the two stood over him like a tower.

"Yes, Hail," the tabby grumbled, "I'll relay your message."

"See that you do," Hail hissed. He turned around and stalked out of sight. Grey watched the tabby spit after the retreating figure and disappear into the undergrowth as well. She stayed in the tree for a few more heartbeats to make sure neither returned. Then, she slithered back down to the floor and started to retrace her steps back to the twolegplace.

She pondered over the strange meeting between Hail and the forest cat. What was Hail planning now? The forest cat was obviously just a messenger, probably for the clan he belonged in. Grey didn't know much of the clans, but understood there were a number of clans—four, wasn't it?—in the forest and they competed with each other for food, territory and whatnot, often ending in bloody battles. She also knew they had strength in numbers, and had defeated Bloodclan this way. They didn't know anything about the Syndicate, however, since contact with the clans was forbidden, but Hail was dangerously breaching this gap; who knew what would happen if the clans and the Syndicate were to collide?

Suddenly, a cat screeched behind her and fell onto Grey's back. She shrieked in surprise and twisted around, slamming a sheathed claw into the attackers ear, causing him to rear back and howl in pain. Fur bristling, Grey spun around and glared at the offender, a small brown tom, no more than six moons.

"Who are you?" she hissed, ears flattened against her skull and teeth bared in a snarl, her classic intimidation pose.

The tom stared wide-eyed at her but then he hissed back, "I should be asking you that."

Indignation flared up inside her at the sight of this kit defying _her_, until she remembered she was not on her territory, but his. She started to advance on the young tom when she suddenly smelled more cats behind him. Not good.

Two more toms appeared behind the young kit, both older and noticeably stronger than the first. One was a dusky, dark-golden tom, with broad shoulders and amber eyes. Standing beside him was a black tom with a distinctive white stripe running from his nose to his tail. His eyes were a deep blue and for some reason they looked so familiar.

"Intruder!" The dusky tom growled and pointed at her with a small paw, almost like a tattling kit.

The golden tom stepped forward threateningly and hissed, "What are you doing here, rogue?"

Grey bristled at being called a rogue and snapped back, "I'm standing here, minding my own business, _clan cat_."

The tom looked taken back for a moment and was about to retort when the black tom suddenly took a step towards Grey and asked, "What is your name?"

His tone was not hostile or demanding, but tentative and uncertain, so different from the previous cat's voice. Grey felt tempted to answer, but instead shot back, "Why should I tell you, ya old geezer?"

The black tom looked at her shocked, and the golden tom hissed in rage, "How dare you speak like that to our leader!"

"Your leader?" Grey snorted contemptuously, "Why, he's too old to be my grandfather!"

"I am not your grandfather…" the black tom looked into the rogue's eyes and meowed, "Grey."

He knew her name.

Shock was her first emotion, splattering across her face like blood. She gaped at the old tom, and then reformed her face into a suspicious snarl.

"How did you know that?" She spat viciously. The way he looked at her… it was discomforting. It was as if he knew her, this clan cat! Fear trickled into her mind.

"Grey?" He spoke her name as if it were fragile and would break if he spoke it too loudly, too rashly. But his very presence was too loud.

It was too much for Grey. The black cat with the white stripe stood ominously before her, like a piece of her life she didn't know about. His blue eyes glowed in a way she didn't like, didn't want to see anymore.

She turned tail and fled, those blue eyes still haunting her.

**A/N: Thank you to all reviewers! Unfortunately there's not many... OTL If there's any confusion or you think I mixed something up, please message me and I'll try to clear it up!**

**Reviews make my day~**


	3. Chapter 3

~~~Afternoon, West Headquarters

Those cerulean blue eyes.

They would not stop following her, haunting her.

She shook her head to clear her muddled thoughts, but the glowing blue eyes always resurfaced and settled on her mind like particles of dust in water. They looked so familiar, yet she could not place their exact identity. Frustration bubbled up within her, a heated rage that clung to the back of her mind.

Grey turned her thoughts back to the present; she was observing one of the West hunters terrorizing a father and his kit for the two pieces of prey due for their rent. She was perched on the roof above the quarrel below her, watching with keen blue eyes, making sure that no allowances or exceptions were made to clients. It was rather like watching a real-life drama.

"No! We need to eat this or we'll starve," the tabby tom pleaded, hovering over two dead rats. He was so skinny it was hard to believe he was still standing. Ribs showed through his ragged pelt and his cheekbones were sunken in, making him look like a living skeleton. His eyes were a dull yellow, but right now, it was blazing at the hunter.

The kit had exactly the same pelt color and physical state as his father and stared at the rats hungrily, his bony tail waving. He asked his father, apparently oblivious to the turmoil brewing around him, "Can… can I eat, papa?"

"Hush, now," the father murmured. He then turned back to the hunter, a pitch black she-cat with extremely long, hooked claws. She was the most successful West hunter, and thus the senior hunter.

Her name was Fury.

"Well, think of it this way," Fury sneered, "Do you want to not eat for one day, or die by my claws?"

She turned to the kit, who was still staring at the rat and salivating, and hissed, "Don't think I won't kill little ones, because I have before."

The father's eyes widened with horror and he growled, "You wouldn't dare."

Fury's claws snapped out and grabbed the kit, who squealed in fright. She pinned it down, claws at his throat before the father could even blink. The tabby tom roared in rage, but did not attack Fury for fear of her claws on his kit.

"Papa!" the kit gasped, struggling at the thorn-sharp claws poised at its tiny throat.

"T-Take the prey, do whatever you want," he stammered, eyes wide for his kit, "But… just don't kill him."

"Are you sure?" Fury drawled, "If I kill him, it'll be less rent you have to pay…"

The father hissed, "No! How dare you even suggest that!"

Fury snickered and roughly pushed the kit back to the father, who gasped in relief and swept the kit towards him with his tail. They pressed their noses to each other's fur and their loving bond was almost tangible.

Grey narrowed her eyes. She wondered what it would be like to have a father who would fight so hard to protect you, even to the point of starving himself, for Grey's kin was unknown, and the only parental feelings she received was from Father, who was more like a leader than any figure of love. He wasn't one to gush over his adoptive daughter's very existence, or battle to protect her life. Father did bestow words of wisdom here and there, which was probably the closest thing to bonding she and he would ever come to.

Growing tired of the father and kit, the senior hunter scooped up the prey with her jaws and started trotting back towards the headquarters. Grey leapt down from her perch and started to follow.

"Hey, good work out there," she meowed to Fury.

Fury glanced at Grey and purred through her mouthful of rat, "Thanks, Grey. It's an honor."

They padded along in silence for a while, until Grey asked, "Were you really going to kill that kit?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?" Fury snorted.

"No reason not to," Grey agreed. Why did she ask that? Of course she would've killed that kit, in order to complete her job. Grey had murdered cats of all ages, from newborns to elders, and it had never bothered her before. It shouldn't bother her now, but somehow, she couldn't stop thinking about the fierce love that the father exhibited.

They arrived at the alleyway that contained the West Headquarters and parted ways. Fury returned into the underground tunnels to deposit the prey she had obtained and Grey decided to take a break from observation. Now, it was time for more important business. She ducked into the alleyway and the tunnels, padding towards the messenger room.

"Mrow! No way!"

"Yes way, you'd better believe it, Windy!"

When Grey stepped into the messenger tunnel, it suddenly became hushed, the chatter that was before cut down like an enemy; it died in a strangled whisper. The two toms that were chatting so heartily shoved each other and become silent, watching Grey enter the room. Three toms stood before her. The first two were creamy toms with large green eyes, obviously twins. The third cat was a patchy tortoiseshell with deep amber eyes. He watched Grey carefully as she stepped forward.

"You two," she snapped at the twins, making them jump, "What are your names?"

"Windy," one murmured, "and this is Breezy."

"And I assume you two are not the elder messengers with the way you were acting," she scolded them, causing them to dip their heads.

Grey turned to the tortoiseshell, "You. What's your name?"

"Zephyr."

"You seem more mature than the lot over there," she gestured towards the twins, "so I'm going to give you a message to deliver to Father."

"Father?" Zephyr repeated, eyes widening slightly.

"Yes, Father," Grey hissed, "Now I want you to tell him these exact words.

_Grey requests your immediate presence in the West to discuss how the rain will fall_."

Breezy (or was it Windy?) tilted his head and mumbled, "But it hasn't rained in—"

The grey she-cat waited patiently as Zephyr furiously hissed an explanation to the confused tom.

"It's obviously a code for something important, you mousebrain!"

"Oh."

Zephyr nodded to Grey and hurried out of the tunnel, but came to a halt as Hunter shouldered his way into the area. The tension in the room increased by tenfold as all three messengers looked at him in wide-eyed fear and dipped their heads. He glared suspiciously at the patchy tom for a moment, who did not meet his dark eyes.

"He's sending a message for you, Grey?" He scowled at the tom, whose fur fluffed up in fear of the West lord. What sort of rule has Hunter been imposing on these poor cats?

"Yes," Grey tried to keep her voice from becoming a hiss, "Now if you please, let him do his job."

"Why, of course," Hunter resumed his silky smooth purr, and gallantly moved out of the way, but Grey did not miss the warning glare he sent the messenger's way.

Hunter watched the tom flee the tunnel, and turned to Grey, meowing, "Would you like to step out for a moment to discuss your inspection of us for a little bit?"

"There is nothing to be discussed," Grey replied smoothly, "Your hunters are excellent and your messenger system seems to be in order, for the most part."

"D-Do you want us to leave while you discuss?" Windy asked quietly, head still bowed.

"No, we're finished discussing," Grey cut off Hunter's next sentence, and walked quickly out of the room. She heard Hunter snap a few lines at the messengers and follow her out. She sighed loudly, hoping to give him a hint at the exasperation he was causing her; what she wouldn't give to have Hunter disappear.

She stepped out of the tunnel, with Hunter at her heels like a hungry dog, begging for a word. He purred smoothly, his very voice grating on her nerves, "Grey, m'dear, I think we should discuss your inspection a bit more."

"I have told you, again and again, there is nothing more to be discussed!" Grey whipped around and glared at the persistent cat.

"Ah, but Grey—" Suddenly, Hunter choked off with a strangled cough and stared at a figure behind Grey with a mix of awe and fear. Grey smirked inwardly; she knew exactly whose presence was so intimidating behind her.

"Hello, Father."

**A/N: Thank you to my sadly not-very-many reviewers~ xD All of you are awesome!**


	4. Chapter 4

~~~Evening, West Territory

Many have come across Father and Grey, parent and daughter, and have been more than a little dubious at their relationship. Those few who dare hesitantly express their doubts. Can you really be his daughter? Can you really be her father? Father and Grey always smile before giving the same reply, "He is the one I love as a father, so he is my father." "She is the one I love as a daughter, so she is my daughter." And so, those who doubted continued doubting, and came to see their vague reply as an answer. It was tacit and unspoken, but widely understood that Grey and Father were not related by blood.

To say that they were related was completely impossible. Ludicrous, even. Grey had a dusky grey pelt, a tabby through and through, but Father's was pure white, his fur long and wavy, making him seem gentle and kittypet like. Almost. If you look upon his long white feather-like tail fur, a feather duster too soft and too pure to touch the impurities of his surroundings, you would not doubt there would by a jingling bell hanging upon his neck to signify his loyalties to his safety.

And yet… Take one look into his deep green eyes, the rolling turmoil show that he is so much more than the purity his pelt makes him seem. The large, shining eyes scream as they whisper: We've seen more sorrow than you can ever hope to endure; we've seen more pain than you can ever imagine. The lines in his face are deep and set, chiseled and unchanging. Sharp are his cheekbones that are still visible from his famine, so long ago. His war-torn ears will never heal. Part his untainted white fur to find the crisscrosses of countless scars and wounds of his past, some more recent than others.

His life had been only an endless battle, and his weapons are his paws, his massive, giant paws. They should belong to a bear; their size is enough to smash a cat's head in, and their claws are long and hooked instruments of death. If you get to close, they might pierce your eye and bring it out of your skull.

This was Father.

He stood before Hunter and Grey in all his glory, a muscular guard cat standing behind him, eyes regarding each cat with suspicion, as he should be. Grey didn't doubt that there was another guard hidden somewhere around them, watching and protecting Father from the shadows. Someone of his rank would never wander out of the central headquarters without two or more guards protecting him somehow, in case of an ambush.

Grey turned to the white tom standing behind her, dipping her head in respect. Father, in turn, nodded to her, and then turned towards Hunter.

Hunter scampered over to Father and bowed, the tip of his ears brushing the ground, "Father."

"Hunter," Father murmured, "Do you understand why I have requested Grey to complete an inspection?"

"Ah," Hunter mumbled, "Not exactly. The inspection went smoothly and—"

Grey meowed, "Nothing out of the normal was found. All the hunters are well capable for their jobs, and the messenger system is quite intact. Prey flowed in smoothly. "

"I see. Then, why have our reports of prey count been stating otherwise?" Father asked Hunter, eyes narrowing.

"Well, you see, Father," Hunter meowed, stumbling over his words, "I really don't know why. I think it is perhaps because the cats have been moving away from the twolegplace."

"And to where? The sky?" Grey sneered. When Father turned his gaze at her, she fell silent although his large eyes were neither angry nor disapproving, just observing, and yet it made her feel ashamed as if she had stepped out of line.

Hunter glared at Grey, and growled, "To the forest."

"You think so, Hunter?" Father asked quietly, his eyes lowering ever so slightly into a slight frown.

"Yes, I do." Hunter looked at Grey, but not Father.

"Hm," was all Father said. After a few heartbeats, the white cat turned and started padding out of the alleyway, his plume of a tail waving for Grey.

Hunter started to scamper after him the same way he followed Grey earlier, but she stood in front of him, teeth bared. She hissed, "If Father wanted _your _company, he would say so."

Hunter snarled, flattening his ears against his skull, "One day, you'll be the one following _my _orders."

"Believe what you wish," Grey spat, and whisked around to follow Father, shuddering at the thought of ever having to follow Hunter's orders. The only cat she will ever bow to is Father, and only Father.

They walked into an alleyway a few blocks down, away from prying ears. Father waved his guards away, and they stood outside the alley, out of earshot.

"Grey," Father meowed, "What did you wish to speak to me about?"

"It's about Hunter, and Hail. I think they're up to something."

"Hunter, I understand, but your brother?"

"Yes. I observed them discussing something earlier, although I couldn't get close enough to hear. Then, after they spoke, Hail headed into the forest and spoke with a forest cat," Grey narrowed her eyes, a snarl beginning to build up in her throat.

"Peace, Grey," Father purred, his voice deep and like gentle thunder, immediately soothing her.

"I know they're plotting something horrible," Grey mumbled.

"Please have a little faith in your brother," Father murmured, "But I would like you to keep your eyes open for any signs of subterfuge. I want you to keep residing in the West Territory until we figure out what's going on."

The grey she-cat sighed, not looking forward to an arrogant mousebrain at her heels for more than another day. It was so good to hear Father's voice in place of Hunter's even if it was for just one conversation.

After a few moments, Father asked Grey, "Have you met any of the forest cats?" His expression was unreadable as he stared into Grey's eyes, making her rather uncomfortable. It was as if those green eyes could read her very mind, and was turning her inside out.

"Um, well, I did meet a few, but I got away," Grey meowed shortly, not wanting to go into too much depth about the blue eyes.

"I see." A brief answer to a brief explanation.

Grey shuffled her feet, wanting to ask something, but then again, embarrassed about the request. Wasn't she too old for this…?

"Um… Father, can you tell me about that night, again?"

"Aren't you getting a bit too old for a story?" Father asked, an amused smile ghosting across his face.

"One more time, Father, please," Grey purred.

And so Father began the story about _that _night. The night Grey was born.

"It was the night fall meets winter, and the skies are beginning to grow cold again. The last few moons have been blessed with clear skies and cool breezes, the golden brown leaves of the forest beginning its descent. I was taking a midnight stroll by the forest to enjoy the scene in the moonlight, for all things can be observed in a new beauty in the light of the moon.

"Night was melting into day when I heard a cry. It was the cry of a she-cat; I could tell her voice would be beautiful if it were not filled with pain. I heard the murmurs of a tom comforting her, and I contented to observe from a distance, as they were mates, the female going into labor to create a new life—you, Grey.

"After you came into the world, your parents had a hushed conversation and I sensed secrecy of this stolen moment. I heard these whispers.

" 'What shall we name our kit?' the she-cat asked, still gasping at the feat she had just performed.

"The tom meowed hurriedly, 'We can't stay now. We must go, quickly.'

"'What of our kit?' the she-cat inquired, shocked.

"'I am sorry…' the tom murmured in sorrow, 'We cannot keep her.'

"The she-cat cried out in grief, sobbing, 'At least let her have a name… She will be Grey, for the grey skies to come in the winter.'

"The tom bowed his head in acquiescence, murmuring, 'That is a beautiful name.'

"The father helped the she-cat stand on her feet and so they departed, into the forest. I waited in the undergrowth until their lover's mournful whispers disappeared completely, so that I could come forward to greet you. You were a tiny little thing back then, eyes closed, squirming, but not crying. You seemed to be confused at the loss of the one who gave birth to you, but no whine or wail escaped your lips. Even in the face of abandonment, you were determined to live without complaint. I received this as a sign of strength, and so I took you in as my daughter; you have not disappointed me."

The story ended smoothly, the last syllable uttered and disappearing like a drop of liquid falling from a tilted cup. But, there was still a strange feeling that the entire cup had not been emptied.

Grey smiled, murmuring a thank-you, and silence fell upon them again, but it was not awkward; the silence fitted the moment like a glove, and they sat together enjoying each other's presence for a few more moments. It was the first instances of peace Grey had experienced for a while, and she was glad to have it.

And then a growl broke the silence.

It was not a cat's growl, but the growl of an empty stomach. Grey dipped her head in embarrassment as another gurgle sounded from her stomach. She had not eaten since before inspecting Fury, and once more she needed food. How embarrassing.

Father purred in amusement, "You should get some prey. Hungry cats don't survive in the twolegplace."

"I know that," Grey sighed, smiling slightly. She had heard that piece of knowledge more than once.

The white cat waved his tail, and his guards leapt from their spots, assuming their position at his flanks. After nodding a goodbye, he padded out of the alley before disappearing around the corner like a wisp of white smoke.

~~~ Late Evening, West Headquarters

The prey room was large, so it will be able to hold the vast amounts of prey that is brought in each day. However, once it is divided, one section being delivered to the central headquarters, and the other to feed the cats of the West Syndicate, there is not much left over. Any leftovers have the potential to be used as bribes and enticement for other hungry cats. Some particularly vicious cats enjoy eating their meal in front of starving prisoners and watch them salivate and beg for food, which is never given without a good reason.

A line was already forming, rowdy cats yowling for food. There was an order to this: the leader ate first, of course, then hunters in order of seniority, and the rest of the cats by fighting, shoving and such. No matter whatever casualties are suffered, the system worked.

The room hushed when Grey stepped into the underground cavern. She felt what seemed like a hundred pairs of eyes focusing on her. Whispers spread like a wildfire as she started walking towards the prey pile, refusing to meet any of the staring eyes.

"I heard she's here for an inspection."

"Really? For what?"

"You know cats say she isn't really Father's daughter."

"No, really?"

"They say Hail is actually going to be leader, not her."

She turned her head to the owner of the last statement, pinpointing a small black she-cat in the corner of the area, turned to another tabby standing beside her, jaws still busy spreading gossip. The other cats followed her gaze, and soon the entire space was staring at the pair.

The black she-cat suddenly noticed how silent it became, and turned, horrified to see Grey glaring right at her. She squeaked and dipped her head.

"Where did you hear that?" Grey's voice cut through the silence like a cold knife through warm flesh.

The she-cat backed up towards the wall, mumbling something unintelligible. Growing impatient, Grey leapt onto her and pinned her to the wall, causing her to shriek and gasps to sound across the room. However, no cat lifted a claw to defy Grey. Doing that would be suicide.

"Do repeat that, I didn't quite hear," she meowed breezily, a dangerous tone evident in her voice.

"Ah, um, I heard Hunter saying that."

"Is that so?"

"Y-yes, Grey."

Grey released the shivering black cat and strode to the fresh kill pile, easily parting the sea of cats staring and murmuring. She selected a plump mouse from the large pile and picked it up with her teeth, carrying it towards her den, to save the pitiful underlings from having to eat their meal in terror of her presence. Her walk was confident and her eyes sharp. She knew what she would be doing tomorrow.

**A/N: So sorry for the wait~ This one's actually longer than usual. ^^ Reviews and critiques are appreciated!**


	5. Chapter 5

~~~Morning, Forest

Grey had a plausible excuse for being here, she believed. After all, she was supposed to keeping an eye on Hail (who had not shown up for several days after the first) and Hail had been in the forest, thus being in the forest counted as keeping an eye on Hail in her logic. Any and all contradictions are void.

But the real reason laid in the fact that had hit her the day before, the fact that revealed itself from the depths of her mind and would not stop gnawing at her thoughts.

It had been a rainy day yesterday, clouds refusing to part for the sun and icy drops of water beating the ground mercilessly. Business had been slow that day; scents were mixed up and no cat volunteered to get his fur wet willingly. The tunnels were cramped as cats milled about and sat around chatting, listening to the thrumming of the rain. It would have been a pleasant evening if not rent had to be paid and dues to be met.

"Get to it!" Grey screeched, her fur standing on end. She glared at a hunter who was hesitating about stepping out in the rain, but at Grey's voice, he dashed out into the rain as if his pelt were on fire.

She sighed irritably; she had already lost count of the lazy slackers she had threatened today. It seemed as if she had to repeat each of her orders twice in order for it to get into everybody's thick heads. And speaking of thick heads, Hunter was not to be seen anywhere. His nest was empty, and she would have thought he disappeared just to leave all the work to her to annoy her, but she knew that he was probably out meeting with Hail while she was grounded in this hellhole.

Grey entered the prey room, now turned into a hot, stuffy lounge for those trying to escape work. As she entered, the fear scent upped by twofold.

She took a deep breath, then let it rip, "_You had better get off your tails and move, you lazy furballs or I'll rip all your ears from your faces and feed it to you!_"

There were a few yelps of fear as the room was effectively emptied out by means of stampede.

That worked, she thought smugly.

She let out a relieved sigh and turned to leave the room. Despite the cold and wetness outside, it was humid and heated inside the tunnels thanks to the amount of slackers gathered together. Unlike the other cats, she would actually enjoy a break in the rain.

As Grey stepped outside, she immediately felt the cold wash of rain over her face. She closed her eyes and tilted her head up, letting the water roll over her and wash her tension away. It was a pleasant feeling after the mess the West Syndicate had become today.

Something about sitting in the rain made her mind wander. Her thoughts rolled through her like the raindrops rolling off her fur, slowly, gently. Suddenly, one thought snagged her thoughts and clung to her. Those eyes.

Those blue eyes.

She let out a growl of annoyance as the thought once more unearthed itself from her mind, tearing through any halcyon moments the rain had temporarily created. Why won't they leave her alone? Why can't she figure it out?

Something about those eyes! It enraged her that she could not place her paw upon it, because they seemed so familiar, so close; it was as if she knew the answers but just couldn't remember the way to say it. Her eyes lowered and found her own frustrated face reflected in a puddle besides her paw, the raindrop distorting and making her face ripple.

And suddenly, she saw those blue eyes once more.

Grey gasped and stared into the puddle, and those eyes stared back, surprised and confused. Her eyes? Her eyes were those eyes?

They were her eyes. Her eyes. Questions that she could not answer bubbled up within her mind, and her frustration was replaced by confusion in one heartbeat. What did this mean? She thought about the black and white tom that uttered her name, and the strange, longing look that swirled around his face like a shroud.

The more she stared into her own hers, his eyes, a small spark of hope ignited in her chest. It was a tiny hope, a tiny possibility, and it quickly caught fire. Could it be? Could it possibly be?

One word echoed in her mind, reverberating within her heart and filling her with hope.

_Kin._

She had to find out.

And so, the next day, Grey was back in the forest.

She had explained that she needed to investigate the forest for prey-related reasons to Hunter, who had come back in the middle of the night, claiming to have had urgent business with the Eas t_(To which Grey responded: "Where in the world were you? I was working my tail off getting your slackers and furballs up and about while you were off dancing in the rain somewhere! I hope you catch a cold and die in a gutter alone!"_).

~~~Noon, Forest

Grey suppressed a groan as her paws sank into the muddy dirt of the forest floor. She quickly leapt onto a patch of leafy grass and proceeded to clean off her feet, somewhat to no avail. She had been wandering around the forest for hours, and she was getting hungry. She wasn't that used to hunting, especially in the forest, but she could try to learn.

She lowered herself into a battle crouch and started stalking towards a brown mouse sniffling at the ground. She started creeping up towards it, tail swishing and claws unsheathed. The mouse skittered slightly, and suddenly dashed away.

Grey growled and attempted to leap after it, but its long tail had already disappeared down a hole. She spat and turned away, until she heard someone snickering behind her.

"Who's there?" She hissed. Without waiting for a reply, she leapt into the tussock of grass from which the laughter sounded. She barreled into a golden tom, and pinned him down. She bared her teeth and growled at him, who was no longer laughing.

"You!" she snarled. He was the tom from her last encounter with clan cats, the tom who had dared call her a _rogue_.

"Yes, me," he meowed, "What are you doing here again? After you fled so gracefully last time?"

"Shut up!" Grey hissed, "I'm here to talk to your leader cat. The old one."

"That gives you no right to demonstrate your poor hunting skills in our forest."

"What!" she snorted indignantly, "They were not poor!"

"Lies," he sighed, "Your tail was flailing around like it had a life of its own, your hunter's crouch resembled more of a battle crouch and you didn't put your paws down lightly enough. Also, the spot you chose didn't have enough grass to act as cover."

Grey sputtered, "Wh-what? Wait, you were watching me the whole time?"

The clancat flushed embarrassedly and growled, "I was only watching a trespasser."

"I told you, I need to speak with your old leader-geezer."

"Don't call him that!"

"Don't call me what?" And there he was, standing there in all his mysterious glory. He looked exactly the same as before, his eyes the same shade of blue as hers. She felt relieved for a moment, as if she had thought his eyes would change, or she had seen it wrong.

Grey felt her fur stand on end as her eyes met his. She could tell his mind was racing by the way his eyes were narrowed in thought, but his eyes were still unreadable. She automatically curled her lip in apprehension.

"Who are you?" she meowed, trying to push the snarl out of her voice.

He gazed at Grey evenly, and then replied, "I am Owlstar. I am the leader of Shadowclan."

"And how do you know my name? Why do you have the same eyes as me?"

Owlstar stared at Grey for a few more heartbeats than what Grey was comfortable with. Her claws flashed in and out of their sheath as she glared at him nervously.

"Well?" She demanded.

"It is a long story," he murmured, then glanced at the other clan cat, "And not for all ears to hear."

"Owlstar?" the golden tom seemed confused, "What can you share with a rogue that you can't share with your deputy?"

"I'm sorry, Oakleaf, but I need some privacy with Grey right now."

Oakleaf looked between the two confusedly, but without hostility. Reluctantly, he submitted to his leader's wishes. He bowed his head and meowed, "I'll be back at camp, then."

"Thank you," Owlstar nodded his head at his deputy's retreating form.

"You have got a lot of explaining to do," Grey hissed.

The black tom looked at Grey in surprise, and then suddenly burst into laughter. This startled Grey, who leapt back in defense, and could only stare at the leader cracking up before her.

"What?" Grey snarled. She was a mouse's tail from ripping off his fur for laughing at her, but she can't do that or she'll never get her answers.

"You remind me so much of your mother," Owlstar smiled, mirth still evident in his voice.

"My… mother?"

"I think you might've guessed already. I assume you're alive because you've been adopted by rogues?"

"Yes, yes," she meowed impatiently, "but what about my mother?"

"In the clans, it is forbidden for a clan cat to love a rogue. The rogue must either join the clan, or the clanner must become a rogue."

"Yeah, so?" Who cares about clan rules? She wanted to know the truth. It was a heartbeat away, and she could feel the satisfaction of _knowing_ already, its so close.

"Patience, Grey," Owlstar chuckled. He continued, "Well, I made the mistake of falling in love with a rogue. Your mother, Grey."

Grey grew silent. She felt her head spinning, her heart _ba-bump ba-bumping _in her ears. Her father… this was him! Her father was a forest cat. Her mother was a rogue. Forest cat. Rogue. As she registered this new information, she felt a piece of happiness and hope rising up within her.

This was her father!

_Kin!_

"What about my mother?" Her voice was filled with excitement as she glanced at the black tom.

Owlstar's face told the tale. His expression morphed from pleasure from finding a daughter to unabashed grief. Sorrow flooded his features and his face was contorted into raw pain, pain that could only be from losing a loved one. She knew what he was going to say before he opened his mouth.

"I tried, Grey. I truly tried. I had convinced her to join the clan when she was about to give birth to you, but the other three clans weren't exactly welcoming."

"You mean… they… killed her?" Hatred was the ink that started to swirl into her clear thoughts, making everything black and muddied.

"Not directly, no," Owlstar murmured, "but they never fully accepted her, so she was the first targeted in battles and raids."

"Aren't you the leader? Stop them!" Grey snarled. She knew she should not be speaking in present tense, but she couldn't help but wish she could have been there to save her mother.

"Not yet, and even if I were, I couldn't possibly do anything to hinder the other clans." he whispered, " I only rose to become leader after her passing, and I will forever regret the lateness of my actions. If I were leader, I could have protected her more, kept her safe…" Owlstar bowed his head, his words choking off at the end.

Grey hesitated before closing the distance between her and her father and placing her nose on his neck, something she had never done to anyone in her life. She breathed in her father's scent, so different from Father's but not necessarily bad. Father's scent was deep and seemed to be infused with peace, which never failed to calm Grey. He looked at her with affection, but as long as she could remember, the closest thing to a gesture of affection was placing his tail on her shoulder.

However, Owlstar's scent was a forest; he smelled of pine needles, grass and earth, and it was unfamiliar territory for her, who was used to the twoleg stench and streets. The forest was so natural, and something wild and deep inside of her truly felt at home in the forest.

Owlstar licked Grey on the head affectionately, and meowed, "Thank you, Grey."

Grey stepped back after a few moments and meowed, "So, what do I do now?"

Owlstar looked confused for a moment before stating as if it were obvious, "You join Shadowclan."

"What?" She exclaimed.

Her father tilted her head and meowed, "You were born with clan blood within you. Become one with your birthplace; you belong here."

"But…" she mumbled, "Won't they drive me out?" _Like they did my mother?_

"No," he replied surely, "I am their leader now, and I will not let anything happen to you. I won't make the same mistake twice."

"What will you say to them?"

"I will say you are a rogue worthy of joining us. Ah, it would be better if you did not mention your mother or me as your parents, I think."

"Why?" Why keep this brilliant discovery a secret?

"My clanmates can get quite… fierce about mating choices, and I hope that we can keep my past in the past. I don't want to stir up past conflicts," he muttered, looking at his paws. His eyes did not meet hers.

"I understand," Grey murmured.

"Well? Will you join Shadowclan?" Hope shimmered in his eyes.

Grey was torn. Her life in the Syndicate was her only life, and at one point, all that mattered. Her future as the leader of the Syndicate, where will it go? And Father… it will tear her heart apart to ever leave him. He was her Father… but Owlstar was her father.

"This… is a hard decision to make, Owlstar," she confessed.

Owlstar looked slightly disappointed and murmured gently, "Please, take your time. When you do decide, please come into the forest. I will tell the other cats of the possibility of a rogue joining us, and perhaps this will give them time to adapt."

Grey meowed. "Thank you, Owlstar."

"No, thank _you._"

**A/N: Just wanted to get this out here before school starts screwing with my life. Reviews are awesome.**


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